


Hopscotch

by orphan_account



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Everyone Is Gay, Fear of People, Haechan is in love with Mark, Haphephobia, M/M, Mark Lee (NCT) is a Panicked Gay, Non Idol AU, Poverty, Sad Mark Lee (NCT), Social Anxiety
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-17
Updated: 2019-09-17
Packaged: 2020-10-20 08:16:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20672180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: People with haphephobia have a fear of being touched. With haphephobia, human touch can be overpowering and even painful. In some cases, the fear is specific to only one gender, while in other cases the fear relates to all people.Haphephobia may also be referred to as thixophobia or aphephobia.





	Hopscotch

Harlem Manhattan, home of jazz, soul-food and theatre. Mark knew the truth; unemployment, starvation and homelessness. That’s what it was really all about. 

Mark walked on the cracked pavement diseased with chewing gum and drunkards. Though Mark couldn’t pay attention to any of this, as thick smog wrapped around his throat entering his lungs making him dizzy as he walked. Why does the world treat me like this? Mark thought biting his lip in frustration. It wasn’t fair, no other 15 year old’s Mark knew constantly lived in fear of the yellow and peach shades that graced the sky, sunrise. Everyday seemed to bring a new challenge now that he had just been informed of the $10,000 dollars of debt his family owed. But it was just life, he had to accept it and move on, right? 

‘Name?’ The office lady asked in the same monotone voice as always giving a condescending look.  
‘M-Mark-’  
‘Mark Lee, got it. Give this to your parents.’ She said holding out a piece of paper with her bony hands, Mark awkwardly took it off her trying to avoid as much skin contact as possible with the paper being about 10cm2.  
‘Thank you.’ Mark mumbled scuffling to his locker. 

‘Hey Mark!’ A deep voice yelled making Mark jump. Mark whipped his head around relaxing, realising it was just his friends.  
‘Woah Mark, is your neck okay? We just wanted you to help show Jae around.’ Johnny laughed.  
‘O-Oh, well… I’m not the best student to show him around. I don’t exactly have the best record here.’ Mark stiffly laughed.  
‘Yeah, I am much more of a better suit than you bro.’ Haechan dramatically proclaimed.  
‘Well, I’m sure we’ll be great friends.’ Jae smiled. God, why is his eye smile so cute? Get a hold of yourself Mark!  
‘Anyways, my name is Jae. Nice to meet you, Mark!’ Jae exclaimed attempting to pat Mark on the back.

Mark panicked, Jae was about to touch him. He’s going to hit you, pinch you and hurt you! Before Jae could even get an inch closer to Mark, the “victim” in question pulled away violently shaking. It burned, Mark could feel he handprint from where Jae had almost touched him, he could feel it, a hot iron was being pressed on his skin.  
‘D-DON’T TOUCH ME!’ He yelled holding his bag in front of his weak frame trying to shield himself from a non-existent threat. 

Jae’s face paled looking at the others for some sort of direction of what to do and how to react to this sudden outburst.  
‘Umm…y-you okay there Markie?’ Jae asked trying to get a look at his face.  
‘S-Stay a-away from m-me-e! Mark stuttered, his words getting stuck in his throat which was tightening as the seconds went on.  
‘Mark, breathe, it’s okay, he didn’t know.’ Haechan tried to reason.  
Mark felt his skin going numb, he just wanted to dump himself into a bucket of acid to make the pain go away.  
When Johnny reached to grab Mark’s arm, Mark screamed ripping away from Johnny and running for the bathroom rubbing frantically at the place Johnny had grabbed him. 

‘N-Nothing’s working!’ Mark sobbed when he still felt the burn all over.  
‘That’s because it’s not real.’ A sweet voice said entering the bathroom.  
‘G-Go away H-Hyuckl!’ Mark muttered weakly.  
‘No, because I want to help you.’ He replied taking a step forward. Mark couldn’t help it anymore, he felt so weak but all the frustrations and troubles of the past months finally just came tumbling out in a huge sob as he fell into Donghyuck’s arms.  
‘It’s okay baby. Now, tell me what’s got you so upset.’ Hyuck soothed.  
Mark took a deep breath in and let everything out.  
‘I-I’m s-so stressed now! M-Mum still h-hasn’t paid any of the money back a-and I c-can’t work to get us any e-extra money because of my H-Haephep-phobia! A-And I hate it! I-I’m so useless and I hate it!’ He finished with more sobs.  
‘Don’t you dare tell me that.’ Haechan insisted pulling Mark up to eye level and stroking his pale pink hair that was slowly being killed by years’ worth of hair dye.  
‘You know what, I kind of think life is like a game of hopscotch, you know? You just gotta get through it, each step brings a new challenge but at the end, it’s worth it because you’ll make it to the end and it’s the best feeling in the world, and no one can take that away from you.’ There was a moment of silence as Mark just thought about everything.  
‘This is why I love you.’ Mark whispered closing the gap between the two, their soft lips touched, it was soft and gentle, almost in a feathery light manner.  
‘I love you too.’


End file.
